Brooder.



J. F. MAcKAY.

BROODER.

APPLICAIION FILED MAR. 22. l9l6.

Patented July 31, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I v mrrllllll ventbr J. F. MACKAY- BROODER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22. l9l6.

1,234,782. v Patented July 31, 1917.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

JOHN FREEMAN MACKAY, or BonnENrown, NEW JERSEY.

BROODER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 31 1917,

Application filed March 22,1916. Serial No. 85,831.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN FREEMAN Mao- KAr, a citizen of the United States, res1d1ng at Bordentown, in the county of Burlington and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brooders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an improvement in brooders or hovers for use on poultry farms and other places for the purpose of assisting in the raising of newly-hatched chicks and particularly for keeping them warm and protected from drafts and other unfavorable influences. invention is to provide a brooder chamber and means for heating the same and regulating the temperature so that it maybe kept at a uniform degree at all times with the air pure and all the conditions favorable for the chicks; and the invention, therefore, consists essentially in the construction, arrangement, and combination of-the various parts, substantially as will be hereinafter described and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating my invention:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of my 1mproved brooder;

Fig. 2 is another vertical section of the same at right angles to the section in Fig. 1, being taken on the line 2, 2 of Fig. 1 and with certain parts broken away;

F i'g. 3 is a. top plan view with a portion of the hood broken off;

Fig. 4 is a partial section of the upper part of the brooder taken on an enlarged scale and showing the top damper open;

Fig. 5 is a similar section taken on' the line 5, 5 of Fig. 3 and showing the damper closed;

I Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the burner;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the same. Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the different figures of the drawing.

1 denotes a conical hood designed to surround the heating means and provide a chamber under which the chicks may be hovered as under the brooding wings of a hen, said hood spreading outwardly more or less from the center so-as to provide a sub- The object of the stantial chamber, the outer edge of which is lifted a convenient distance from the floor so as toprovide easy passage beneath it for the chicks or other poultry or birds. The conical upper end of the hood 1 has a circular opening 1, and the hood surrounding this opening rests loosely upon the correspondingly beveled side of a top casting 2 which is sultably supported, as I shall explain. The hood 1 can be raised and lowered by means of cables 3 running over ulleys 4, which cables can be manipulate or operated in any desired manner for the purpose of lifting the hood off the casting 2, andthus expose the heater so that the interior parts may be reached for any purpose; Ordinarily the apertured hood 1 rests loosely upon the casting 2 in the manner just explained. Hood 1 is further provided with a peep hole or hand hole 71 to allow investigation of its interior when in use.

5 denotes a cylindrical bottom casting having suitable feet or a flange 6 which rests on the floor 7 and is provided with openings 8 through which the impure air on the flow can enter said cylindrical bottom frame 5, the latter having therein a bottom floor 9, perforated at 10, so that the air which enters through the openings 8 can ascend through the perforations 10 into a chamber 11 formed by a cylinder which is concentric with the bottom cylinder 5, and between which and said bottom cylinder 5 there is an annular space 13. This bottom frame 5 is provided with a door 14 serving as a damper or ventilator and being used to assist the draft as well as to give access to the interior. Cylinder 5 is moreover rovided with a lateral opening 15 which is anged to connect with a pure air supply pipe 16 running from some outside source and conveying fresh atmospheric air to the brooder. The annular chamber 13 between the cylinder 12 and the cylinder 5 is provided on its top with orifices or openings 17 formed in a horizontal connection 18 between said cylinders 12 and 5. and through these openings 17 the fresh air rises into an annular chamber 19 provided between a central drum 20 and an outer drum 21. The outer drum or cylinder 21 is secured at itslower end by riveting, bolting, or otherwise, to the top part of the base cylinder 5, while the inner drum 2O isriveted, bolted, or otherwise secured at its lower end to the inner bottom cylinder 12. On the top of the drum 20 is a suitable dome or cap 22, preferably cone-shaped, the same being riveted or otherwise secured to the upper eriphery of the inner drum 20, and extending outwardly and connected to the drum 21, said outward connection which is in fact a horizontal diaphragm being provided with a suitable number of openings 23 through which air may pass upward from the annular chamber 19 into the upper chamber 24. The central drum 20 is provided with a suitable door 25.through which access can be had to the interior thereof.

Vertically above the dome 22 is an inverted cone-shaped deflector '26 which is secured to the underside of the top casting 2 immediately below the pivoted damper. 27 which operates in connection with a central opening 28 in said top casting 2. Surrounding the deflector 26 is a horizontal annular casting 29 having a central opening 30 encircled by a flange 31 which is secured to the beveled sides of the deflector 26, and said angul'ar casting 29 having at its outer periphery a flange or face 32 which is se- 4 cured to the underside of the top casting 2 "near the lowermost edge thereof. This annular casting lies a suiiicient distance below the top casting 2 which supports it as to provide between the two parts a circular flue or passage 33, and this flue isentered by an inclined pipe 34 leading from the interior of the drum 20, so that hot air, smoke, and any of the combustion products ofthe gas or oil may pass upward from the central drum 20 through the pipe 34', then into the flue 33, and out into the smoke flue 35 which issupported upon the top'casting 2 in the manner indicated in Fig. 1 and in communication with the horizontal flue 33.

7 Referring again more particularly to some of the structural features hf the horizontal annular casting 29 Which is thus related. to the top casting 2, it will be perceived that it is provided with a downwardly-projecting circular'flange 36, to which the upper end of the outer drum 21 is riveted or otherwise fastened, while at a point directly below the flange 32, the said member 29 is provided with a smooth face to which is secured the upper edge of a cylindrical deflector 37 which surrounds the outer drum 21 at a short distance therefrom for a certain portion of the length of the upper end thereof directly opposite to a series of perforations or orifices 38 formed in the wall of the drum 21 through which heated air rising in the chamber '24: may pass out into the chamber or space within the hood 1. The cylindrical deflector37 therefore shunts the heated air emerging through the openings 38 downwardly intothe chamber below the hood 1 and surrounding the heater mechanisngso that drafts are thereby avoided, and yet there is a circulation of air taking place all the time which enablesthe latter tobe kept pure and up to the required temperature.

Inside of the horizontal circular flue 33 at points on opposite sides of the smoke flue 35 I place baffle plates 39, preferably two of them, one on each side of the smoke flue, the same being set angularly in the flue 33 so that they will stand crosswise in said flue, and'there being at the'lower edges of said bafile plates 39 openings 40 Where the baflle plates are cut off and prevented from coming quite into contact with the lower angular bottom of the casting 29. The hot air draft in said flue 33, as it rushes around toward the smoke flue, being drawn by the vacuum at that point. will strike the baflie plates 39 .with considerable force and be temporarily stopped and deflected and caused to follow a circuitous and slower progress beneath said baffle plates and through the openings 40, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 1, before it can enter the space around the two baflie plates 39 and reach the flue 35 and escape thereby. The object of these baffles and this arrangement of parts is to'prevent the hot air from rushing out too readily from the heater and thereby I causing a great waste of heat and fuel. By

holding back the outgo of the hot air a greater amount of caloric is retained and utilized in the heater because there Wlll be a more thorough burning of the gases and other products coming from the burner and vided with an opening 41 through which passes loosely a link 42 that is connected to the pivoted damper 27 operating in connection with the top opening 28. This link 42' is pivoted at its lower end to a lever 43 fulcrumed at 44 on a bracket 45 fastened to the outside of the drum 21, said lever having a notched section 4L6 on which is hung a counterbalance weight 47. At the bottom of the heater, the lower cylindrical casting 5, or some other suitable part, supports a bracket 48 that upholds a thermostat 49. This thermostat is constructed in any suitable way and actuates a lever 50 which is pivoted in the bracket 48, the free end of the lever being connected to a vertical rod 51 which in turn connects with the lever 43. As the heat in the breeder chamber within the hood 1 rises, the thermostat will obviously expand, and this will move the lever 50, causing it to pull down the rod 51 and also the lever 43, and thus open the damper 27, by transferring it from the position shown in 2 to that shown in Fig. & where the opening 28 will beuncovered so as to allow the hot air to pass upwardly and outwardly, the same finding exit through the perforations 52 in the said deflector 26, for it will be obvious that since a draft is established by opening the damper 27, the hot air will ascend through the openings 52 into the interior 53 of the deflector 26 and out through the opening 28 instead of passing out into the brooder chamber through the lateral openings 38 in the drum 21 as before. When thetemperature equalizes and a suflicient coolingtakes place toreact upon the thermostat and cause it to contract, the effect will obviously be to allow the counterbalance 47 to act on the lever 43 and link 42 and close the damper 27. In this way the temperature within the brooder chamber is kept uniform and at'theproper'degree.

Inside of the drum 20 1s a heating cham ber withinwhich, preferably at the bottom,

is a suitable burner, as 54, which burns gas or oil, preferably gas formed by the vaporization of oil, the oil coming through the supply pipe leading from any suitable source of supply. Thedetailed construc-- upper end of tube 56 maybe in condition to be burned. The supply pipe 55 connects with a curved tube 58 which delivers oil into a pan 59, preferably of circular form, and having at its center openings 60 which allow the oil to flow down into a similar concentric pan 61 below the pan 60,after which the oil passes out of and away from the pan 61 into the curved pipe 62 which carries the vaporizing tip 57. The tube 56 already mentioned is supportedcentrally by the pan 61, and passes upwardly through the pan 59, and also through the burner disk 63, which has a series of openings 64. On top of the disk 63 are superposed the perforated disk 66 and the top perforated disk 65, through both of which the flame caused by the burn ing of the mixture in the upper end of the tube 56 emerges. 'On the pipe 55, immediately below the parts which I. have just been describing, is a primer cup 67 fed through a tube 68 which connects with a small can 69 supported on the thermostat bracket 48 and having a valve 70 for controlling the passage of oil out of the can69. The object of the can 69 and the pipe 68 and the cup 67 is to provide means for starting the burner, for

when a little oil has been placed in the cup 67 and ignited, it will cause heat which will -the brooder chamber.

vaporize the oil in the pipes and part-s above, so that' a gaseous mixture in the tube 56 will be at once provided which can be lighted and the burner put into use.

One of the good features in the construction and operation of a brooder of this kind is that fresh cold pure air is supplied at all times. This air enters into the central heating chamber through openings at the bottom as described, and also passes up through the annular passage 19 around the central chamber and enters the top heating chamber 24, where it is heated to the proper degree, the supply of air within the chamber '24 being augmented constantly by a new relay of fresh air. Perfect circulation is secured and kept up at all times b means of the current of air which is passing through the brooder will be evident from the foregoing description of the construction and arrangement of the parts. The heat generated by the burner 54 acts upon the fresh air supply to the drum 20 and heats said drum and its dome 22 very hot. This heat affects the copious and constant inflow of air which fills the chamber 24 above the drum 20, and this air is heated tothe proper degree and then flows out through the openings 33 striking against the deflecting cylinder 37 and is thus caused to enter the interior of All the interior air at the floor goes upwardly through the central base cylinder 12, the drum 20, the pipe 34, and the circular flue 33, into the escape flue 35, together with the hot air from the drum 20,; the smoke and other products of combustion, but the heat passing upwardly *from the drum 2O escapes very slowly on account of the baflle plates 39, as I have explained. VVhen the heat within the brooder chamber rises too high and in consequence the thermostat is affected, .theresult is to Many changes in the precise construction and arrangement of the parts may bemade without departing from the main lines of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims, and I, therefore, reserve the liberty ofmodifying and changing all the details for the purpose of attaining better results chamber and heated by radiation from the dome, an outlet valve in said upper chamber, a horizontal flue supported on said upper chamber and outside thereof, a pipe connecting the heating chamber with said flue and running through the upper chamber, a hood movably support-ed upon the horizontal flue and 3t 6 O a brooder chamber which encircles inc apparatus. I

2. In breeder, thecombination or" a main heating chamber, a dome carried thereon, a chamber supported on said heating chamber and heated thereby, said chamber so supported having lateral openings, a cylinder surrounding the heating chamber and forming an annular chamber therewith, a fresh air supply pipe entering said annular chamher for introducing fresh air into the upper chamber, means for carryin away the smoke and other products at combustion from the heating chamber consisting of an upwardly extending flue and a horizontal flue with which it connects, a conical deflector carried by the horizontal. flue, valve means arranged in the central upper part of the deflector to allow the escape ofhot air at certain times, a hood surrounding the whole device and forming with the same a brooder chamber, and a thermostatic appliance for controlling the operation of the aforesaid valve means.

3. in a brooder, the cpmbination of a heating chamber having openings at the bottom to allow impure air from the floor to pass upwardly through the heating chamber,

heating" means therein, a fresh air chamberabove the heating chamber, in which fresh air chamber the air is heated for delivery to the brooder chamber, said chamber having lateral openings for discharging the heated air, a horizontal flue supported on the afore said fresh air chamber and having an outlet flue, a deflector carried by the horizontal flue and perforated to permit the passage of heated air through upwardly, a valve in the upper part of deflector, means for allowing the passage oi heat and smoke from the heatin chamber to the aforesaid horizontal flue, and an annular chamber surroundin the heating chamber, together with means ior admitting fresh air thereto so that it may pass upwardly to the fresh air chamber for the purpose of being heated therein.

Lin a brooder, the combination of=a beating chamber, heating means therein, a

chamber supported on the heating chamber and containing air which is heated for de livery to the brooder chamber, said chamber having lateral openings for discharging the heated air, a horizontal fluesupported on said chamber containing the heated air and communicating with the heating chamber, a smoke flue connected to said horizontal flue, and baflies'in the horizontal flue on opposite sides of the smoke flue, said baffles being provided with openings for the passage of air and smoke, together with a temperature control appliance, and an apertured hood supported on the apparatus, within which hood the temperature control appliance is situated.

5. In a brooder, the combination of a heating chamber, heating means therein, a

chamber on the hea ing chamber receiving air to be heated, the same having lateral openings for discharging the heated air, a horizontal flue on said upper chamber, which flue communicates with the heating chamber, a deflector carried by said horizontal flue, and projecting into the upper chamber, said deflector being provided with openings, a central damper arranged in said deflector, an apertured hood supported upon said horizontal flue, a deflector carried by said horizontal flue and surrounding the lateral openmgsln the upper chamber, an escape flue for said horizontal flue, and a temperature control appliance under the hood, together with means connecting said appliance with the central damper so that the heat may affect the position of the same.

6. a brooder, the combination of a cen-' tral heating chamber, an outer cylinder foriifing therewith an annular fresh air passage, said cylinder also prqviding a chamber above the heating chamber havinglatcral openings for the discharge of heated air, heating means within the heating chamher, a horizontal flue on the upper chamber communicating with the heating chamber, a central damper for allowing the escape of air from the upper chamber when there is too much heat, an aperturecl hood supported on the horizontal flue, a temperature control appliance under said vhood, and means connecting said appliance with the central damper so that the heat may afl'ect the position of the same.

7 In a brooder, the combination of a central heating drum, a radiating dome carried thereon, a heating means therein, an annular chamber surrounding said drum, a fresh air flue communicating with the lower end of said annular chamberand also with the heating drum, an upper chamber supported upon the drum, a top casting supported by 7 naeavsa heating drum and also is provided with escape means, and an apertured hood supported on the top casting to provide a brooder chamber surrounding the aforesaid heating mechanism.

8. In a brooder, the combination ofaheating drum, a radiating dome supported on said drum, aheating means in said drum, an annular chamber surrounding the drum and receiving fresh air, an upper chamber supported upon the drum and. receivingair from the annular chamber and provided -with lateral discharge outlets, atop casting, a conical deflector attached thereto and projecting downwardly into the upper chamber, a horizontal flue above the upper chamber and communicating with the heating drum, said flue having balfie plates provided with openings for the passage of air and smoke, and an apertured hood sup ported on the top casting.

9. In a hrooder, the combination of a heating drum, a heating means therein, a radiating dome on top of the drum, an upper air chamber into which said dome pro jects and which is heated by radiation from the drum, said chamber having lateral openings, a fresh air chamber surrounding the drum receiving air from outside and de livering it to the upper air chamber, a conical deflector projecting into said upper chamber and diverting the upwardly moving heated air sidewise so that it may be discharged from the upper chamber, said conical deflector being perforated to allow the passage of air through it, means for supporting said conical deflector, a hood supported on said latter means, and a flue system for carrying away the hot air'and smoke from the heating drum, said flue system being provided with battle plates having openings for allowing the passage of air and smoke, a thermostat under the hood, a central damper in the top of the conical deflector, and connections between air, a horizontal flue on said upper chamber,

said flue carrying a conical deflector that projects downwardly into the upper chamber and is perforated to allow the passage of air through the small end, a valve seated in the large end of said deflector, a pipe between the heating drum and the horizontal flue, an apertured hood supported on the horizontal flue,.a thermostat under. said hood, and a leverage connection between it and the aforesaid upper valve whereby the hot air escapes at the top of the device when the thermostat is actuated.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

JQHN FREEMAN MAQKAY. 

